The Mohawk boys hope to win the program’s first WPIAL title in 53 years next month.
But first things first, the Warriors had to end a long postseason drought, something they did Monday courtesy of a 66-56 victory against visiting Derry in a Class 3A first-round game.
Freshman Bobby Fadden scored a game-high 32 points for No. 4-seeded Mohawk (20-3), which picked up its first playoff win since 2013, when the Warriors won a preliminary-round game. The triumph Monday was the first for Mohawk in a first-round game since 2002, which means the Warriors will play in the quarterfinals for the first time in 21 years.
“Our kids and our staff have only been there for two years, so we don’t talk about what happened here in the past. We’re just trying to win now,” said second-year coach Mike O’Lare, who previously guided the Mohawk girls to back-to-back WPIAL titles in 2020 and 2021.
The Warriors went 6-16 in O’Lare’s first season and up until this season had gone 10 consecutive seasons without a winning record.
Derry (11-10) showed a lot of fight against Mohawk. The Trojans trailed by only three points after one quarter and were behind by only one late in the third quarter before Mohawk finished strong, outscoring the Trojans, 19-13, in the fourth.
Fadden, Mohawk’s leading scorer during the regular season at 17 points per game, put forth a fine performance in his playoff debut.
“He played very well,” O’Lare said. “Not only did he play very well offensively, but his toughest assignment was to guard [Gabe] Carbonara, so he did it on both ends.”
Carbonara led Derry with 21 points, while Brady Angus and Ashton Beighley each had 10.
Mohawk, which also got 13 points from Jay Wrona and 10 from Deven Sudziak, will take on No. 5 Deer Lakes (14-8) Thursday in the quarterfinals.
Other Class 3A boys
• Rocco Spadafora’s 20 points fueled No. 6 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (17-5) to a 75-67 win over No. 11 Beaver Falls (11-10) at Fox Chapel. Dereon Greer chipped in 16 points for the four-time defending WPIAL champions and two-time defending PIAA champions, who have won 22 consecutive postseason games. Beaver Falls got 21 points from Jaren Brickner and 20 from Trey Singleton.
• Makhai Valentine, the WPIAL’s second-leading scorer, was held 15 points below his average, but it didn’t stop No. 1 Steel Valley (13-9) from claiming a 67-44 win against No. 16 McGuffey (12-11). Valentine, who averages 36 points per game, finished with a game-high 21. Jantzen Durbin led McGuffey with 16 points.
• Connor Spratt poured in 31 points to lead No. 9 Seton LaSalle (12-10) to a 59-57 win at No. 8 Washington (15-7). Ruben Gordon led Washington with 19 points. He misfired on a 3-point attempt just before the buzzer that would have given the Little Prexies the win. The Rebels have won eight of their past nine games.
• David Kwiat knocked down five 3-pointers among his game-high 20 points to propel No. 2 Neshannock (17-5) to a 56-43 win against No. 15 Keystone Oaks (9-14). Jack Glies added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Lancers, while sophomores Tulio Watts and Ethan Spivak led the Golden Eagles with 16 points apiece.
• Despite Ellwood City getting 37 points from Joseph Roth, No. 5 Deer Lakes (14-8) topped the No. 12 Wolverines (15-8), 76-57. Bryce Robson and Billy Schaeffer each scored 17 points for Deer Lakes and Nate Litrun added 16.
Class 4A boys
• Despite playing without leading scorer Peter Kramer, who is ineligible for the playoffs due to transfer rules, No. 4 Hampton (21-2) rallied for a 65-50 win against No. 13 Blackhawk (11-12). It was the 15th consecutive win for the Talbots, who outscored Blackhawk, 44-23, in the second half after trailing by six points at the half. Robert Coll paced Hampton with 16 points and Liam Mignogna added 14, while Jacob Patton led the Cougars with 15.
• In a showdown of legendary coaches, No. 10 Belle Vernon (11-11) went on the road and defeated No. 7 and defending WPIAL champion Quaker Valley (14-7), 81-55. Zion Moore led Belle Vernon with 32 points, while Joey Coyle paced Quaker Valley with 20. It was career win No. 711 for Belle Vernon coach Joe Salvino. Quaker Valley’s Mike Mastroianni has 569.
• No. 1-seeded Lincoln Park (22-1) raced to a 25-point halftime lead and coasted to an 86-62 win against No. 16 West Mifflin (10-13). Pitt recruit Brandin Cummings led the Leopards with 34 points and super sophomore Meleek Thomas added 21. Jordan Lucas-Johnson and Todd Harrison each scored 15 points for West Mifflin.
• Rodney Gallagher’s 26 points helped No. 2 Laurel Highlands (20-3) thump No. 15 Freeport, 69-45. Mason Bolish chipped in 15 points and Keondre DeShields had 12 for the Mustangs. Gavin Croney led Freeport (13-10) with 11.
• Five players scored in double figures for No. 5 Highlands (20-3), which had little difficulty in beating No. 12 Elizabeth Forward (8-14), 71-34. Cam Reigard led the Golden Rams with 17 points, Bradyn Foster added 15, Jimmy Kunst 14, Landan Signorella 11 and Jordyn Tavarez 10.
Class 6A girls
• No. 8 Peters Township (13-10) continued its late surge by winning its fourth game in a row, a 62-49 triumph against No. 9 Butler (11-12). Natalie Wetzel and Sami Bewick each scored 17 points for the Indians, who will play at No. 1 Upper St. Clair (19-2) in the quarterfinals. Amelia McMichael led Butler with 22 points.
Class 1A girls
• No. 8 West Greene (13-9) rolled to a 51-23 win against No. 9 Leechburg (7-12). Lexi Six (14 points), Taylor Karvan (14) and Kendra Tharp (13) all scored in double figures for West Greene, which will play at No. 1 Union (15-6) in the quarterfinals. Olivia Vigna scored a team-high 9 points for Leechburg.
• Ella D’Ippolito scored 24 points and Abby Stover added 20 to lead No. 6 Eden Christian (8-14) to a 65-31 win against No. 11 Jeannette (2-20) at Peters Township. Frankie Crosby led Jeannette with 9 points. The Warriors will face No. 3 Aquinas Academy (14-8) in the quarterfinals.
• Julie Spinelli had 21 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals while leading No. 5 St. Joseph (19-4) to a 64-26 triumph against No. 12 Geibel Catholic (11-12). Anna Kreinbrook added 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks for St. Joseph, which moves on to the quarterfinals to take on No. 4 Monessen (15-5).
Boys scores
Class 4A first round
Belle Vernon 81, Quaker Valley 55
Hampton 65, Blackhawk 50
Highlands 71, Elizabeth Forward 34
Laurel Highlands 69, Freeport 45
Lincoln Park 86, West Mifflin 62
North Catholic 53, Montour 41
South Allegheny 59, Beaver 57
Uniontown 69, Avonworth 52
Class 3A first round
Deer Lakes 76, Ellwood City 57
Mohawk 66, Derry 56
Neshannock 56, Keystone Oaks 43
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 75, Beaver Falls 67
Seton LaSalle 59, Washington 57
Shady Side Academy 43, Brownsville 35
Steel Valley 67, McGuffey 44
Yough 46, Burrell 26
Girls scores
Class 6A first round
Peters Township 62, Butler 49
Class 1A first round
Avella 62, Riverview 38
Eden Christian 65, Jeannette 31
St. Joseph 64, Geibel Catholic 26
West Greene 51, Leechburg 23
For WPIAL postseason basketball brackets, results and schedules, go here.
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.